No Lo Sé Shawl

No lo sé (Spanish for “I don’t know (it/that)”) is a crescent-shaped lace shawl that knits up in no time, starting at one tip and gradually growing larger.

I designed and worked the sample while chatting with friends in a restaurant.

A combination of two panels come together in a unique way to create a curved triangle with optional beaded decreases at the outer edge. The first panel is in garter stitch, using simple increases and decreases to give the shawl a dynamic look. The lace panel also uses simple increases and decreases as well as a mock cable. The border is a different lace panel, which can be finished off with optional beads in the bind off row.

When knitting this shawl, you need to pay some attention at the start to get it right. My sample is worked in only one color, using a single marker but more markers can be used if you prefer.

Gauge

Abbreviations

kff: k1, insert left ndl into old st from back to front, k left leg of this st again.

mock cable: pass the 3rd stitch on left ndl over the first 2 sts, k2 (1 st dec).

place bead: insert bead on crochet hook, pull st on left ndl through bead, replace st on left ndl.

Charts

Main Body Chart

click to enlarge – NOT in the PDF

For people newer to chart knitting, we’ve included the written instructions for the setup rows. See them here.

Garter Section Chart

This chart is worked with the Main Body Chart above

click to enlarge – NOT in the PDF

Border Chart

click to enlarge – NOT in the PDF

Pattern Notes

The body is worked in two panels at the same time, one lace and one garter. Garter instructions are charted and included in the written directions; written directions for the lace section are included only for the first 13 rows. After that, please follow the chart.

When working the decreases at the start of the rows make sure you end with 2 purl sts.

If you wish to place beads on the tips do so as follows:

Beginning of Row 13 (RS): P1, sl st back to left ndl, place bead, p1, pull tight, catching up the bead.

Body Setup Row 4: (P4, k to last st before marker, p1), sm, work Main Body Chart to end (17 sts).

Rep Body Setup Rows 3-4 four more times, working through Row 12 of Main Body Chart.

Row 13 (BO at the beginning of Row 13): Place bead (optional), p1, p1, place sts back on left ndl, p2tog, pass the 3rd stitch on left ndl over the first 2 sts, BO 2 sts, BO 3 sts purlwise, sl rem st from right ndl to left, purl it and complete Row 13.

Continue to work reps of Rows 13-24 from the chart until you have a total of 23 tips, or until you have used as much as 75% of your yarn. Work Rows 13-21 once more.

Border

Continuing to work the garter section as above, work Rows 22-38 of Border Lace 1 time from chart, then continue to work reps of Rows 31-38 as desired, ending the final rep on Row 36.

The sample was worked with 1 rep of Rows 31-38, then 1 section of Rows 31-36.

When done with the border, bind off with one of the options below:

Non-beaded BO: K1, *k1, pass both stitches back to left ndl, k2tog tbl, rep from* until 1 st rem, cut yarn and pull end through last loop.

Beaded BO: *K1, sl st back to left ndl, place bead, k1, pulling tight; (k1, pass both sts on right ndl back to left ndl, k2tog tbl) until you reach the center stitch that lines up above the sk2psso in Row 35, rep from * until all sts have been worked, placing the last bead on the last st; cut yarn pull end through last loop.

Finishing

Weave in ends and block.

Written direction for Lace panel Rows 1-13

Row 1 (RS): P2, kff, p1 (4 sts).

Row 2 (WS): Kfb, p2, k2 (6 sts).

Row 3: P2, k1, yo, k1, pfb, p1 (8 sts).

Row 4: Kfb, k2, p3, k2 (9 sts).

Row 5: P2, k3, p2, pfb, p1 (10 sts).

Row 6: Kfb, k4, p3, k2 (11 sts).

Row 7: P2, mock cable, p4, kff, p1 (11 sts).

Row 8: Kfb, p2, k4, p2, k2 (12 sts).

Row 9: P2, k1, yo, k1, p4, k1, yo, k1, pfb, p1 (15 sts).

Row 10: Kfb, k2, p3, k4, p3, k2 (16 sts).

Row 11: P2, k3, p4, k3, p2, pfb, p1 (17 sts).

Row 12: Kfb, (k4, p3) 2 times, k2 (18 sts).

Row 13: Place bead (optional), p1, p1, place sts back on left ndl, p2tog, pass the 3rd stitch on left ndl over the first 2 sts, BO 2 sts, BO 3 sts purlwise, sl rem st from right ndl to left (shown as an “L” in the chart), purl it, p1, mock cable, p4, kff, p1 (11 sts).

About the Designer: Renate Siebke

Renate Siebke has been knitting since summer 1970, but only started designing her own patterns in August 2014. She’s created 11 (this is number 12) patterns during that time and some more are in the making.

Although she is working in a completely different profession, Renate now dedicates most of her spare time to designing unusual shawls, most of them crescents.

She gets her inspiration when traveling the world, visiting her daughter in Baku, Azerbaijan and last Santo Domingo in Winter 2017.